18 Months!

At the last minute, in a moment of accidental genius, I switched our Halloween costumes, and you became the most perfect parrot (and through the creative genius of our friend Sara your dad became a cracker and I became a pirate...get it???).

But you really are a parrot right now. You know all your friends' (and most of their mom's) names and love shouting them when they come into view. You repeat words, and phrases lately, all the day long, and I love watching your little brain process the words and your mouth work to recreate them. In the last week or so you've started saying your name which may just melt my heart more than anything ever has. Charlie is always DAR-dee with a major emphasis and high pitch on the DAR. You love to tell us what drink or food or bike or shoe etc. is Mama's, Dada's or DAR-dee's. And since you haven't started using it in the "Mine!" tone, it's just pure sweetness.

We went to the doctor this month for your 18 month well check and, of course, shots, and we found out, yet again, that you're indeed a beautifully big boy! You're off the charts for weight and height (no wonder we can't keep shirts or shoes for longer than a couple months!), and right now you're measuring at the size of a two and a half year old. Your dad is over the moon about this news. I'm worried you might actually eat us out of house and home in the next year. You've got more than a healthy appetite, and I love that we can share foods at every meal. You are obsessed with broccoli (you say that word really well) this last month, and it's always one of the first suggestions you make when I ask what you want to eat. Turkey meatballs are pretty high on that list too, but nothing, and I mean nothing, could trump your love for breakfast sausage. It's real, and it's strong. If you've finished the sausage on you plate, you eyeball your dad's and my plate for any tiny remnant. And oh Lord. God help us if you spy a piece. You and Stan both lose your minds for sausage.

Loves - You love sitting on the counter watching me make your breakfast or dinner and sitting on the counter in the bathroom mimicking me putting on makeup or brushing my hair or brushing my teeth. You love to pretend brush your teeth but hate when we try to polish those pearly whites. You love to drive. You pretend drive and dance almost every time we pull into our driveway, and it's one of your very favorite things to do at the park.

The funniest (and the weirdest) thing lately is to see so many of my mannerisms popping up in you. Your scrunched up nose when you say no tipped me off. You're making the same face I make when I tell you something would be a bad idea. It's a perfect mimic, and I didn't even know I was doing it. Makes me a little nervous for what else you're picking on. Possibly just about everything.

You're the very sweetest little sidekick to have around these days. You're learning your manners (Thank you, MAMA! is a real fave) and you're testing boundaries almost every other minute. You love the sideways glance when you know you're doing something you're not technically allowed to do. But normally I just tell you you can do what I've asked you to do (i.e. - come sit down to get your diaper changed) or I can come get you, and then I count to three, and I almost never get there before you come running over saying "THANK YOU!" and do whatever I've asked. I've stolen, "Doesn't it feel great to be great?!" from your aunt Jennifer, and you beam when I celebrate you and your good behavior. The terrible two's are probably coming, but right now, I'm loving watching you test boundaries but ultimately listen. I can't tell you enough how lucky I feel to be filling my days and adventuring through your early days with you. It's the very biggest blessing I never knew I needed. Thanks for making our life that much sweeter, Chuckster. Lots of love.

Sweet Berry

Today was magic, my sweet boy. You muttered a tiny hee-haw as we laid you down, and after some of the sweetest cuddling and recapping of our day we've ever had, it was the most perfect goodnight. 

Sweet Berry Farm you were so good to us today for oh so many reasons, but that donkey made a real impression. We're heading back soon. Come! 

 

17 Months!

My hope of all hopes was that you'd have a wicked sense of humor. Alright, so I wanted you to be healthy and smart and sweet and cute but a sense of humor is way up there on my list of hopes for you. And while I knew you were pretty funny before this month, you cracking up as I said, "Stanley! Don't eat Charlie's poop!" really cemented your taste in good jokes. It's not that I think poop jokes are funny necessarily, I really didn't want Stan to eat your poop (he wanted to), but the fact that you know it would be grossly funny for Stan to want to eat your poop really made the both of us laugh.

Don't judge those groceries...it was a tough week.

This month you're a total parrot. I was out of town A LOT this month, and each time I came home from a trip you had an entire new set of words added to your repertoire. Your GiGi had you for five days while your dad and I went to Montreal, and you came home calm, well-rested, sweet and talking all about GiGi, Pops, water, trucks, turtles and Mani (Madi, of course). Then I headed out to Portland to hang with a sweet new baby, your new best friend BTW, and you hung with your dad, GaGa and PaPa all week, and even though you were sick and slightly miserable, I came home to you talking about PUNKins, ghosts, big big big big big boats (or airplanes not quite sure because they're still the same word). Your dad said "Damn!" the other day and you immediately, with great inflection, parroted "Damn!" right back. Whoops! You still love calling out for things and saying "Whereisit?" And if I ever want you to try a new word we normally try this tactic. Works almost every time. You've started putting words together this month..."Hi, Mama!" is my very favorite, but the idea that you're moving towards talking in sentences kinda blows my mind. You're totally not there yet, but you're pairing words and gaining phrases all the time. It's cra-zy. 

You continue to be confident and brave even when you're not quite sure you really want to be. You touched a turtle and a cat and helped me mow the grass this past month. All of which you weren't really quite sure of, but you tried it which makes me really proud of you. You weren't crazy about the mowing, okay, you hated it, but you love the cats across the street and talk all the time about touching that turtle. We'll have to go back and get your dad to fish another one out of the tank. Dad's are good like that. 

This month we started and quickly ended a Mother's Day Out program. You went a few times and each time you hated it more than the last. You would refuse naps on those days when we got home and would wake up at least 3 or 4 times on Monday nights after going. Needless to say, it was not going well. And since it was only so I would have time to go to observations for UTeach, I decided to find alternate plans for you. No need to start a program when you're so obviously not quite ready. We also started music class in September. You're not too sure about the parachute she brings out, but you love the free play with the drums and shakers and piano, and you're really starting to groove to the music.

You're obsessed with your friends Oli and Eddy, and I can pretty much get you to do anything easily - diaper change, clothes, shoes, etc. - if we're headed out to see them. Oh the power of persuasion. I love seeing your face light up when all get together and watching you have real friendships. You've picked some ridiculously cute, smart, and funny friends, little man. It makes my heart crazy happy. 

Love you and so enjoying settling back into our regular routine. Here's to a month of PUNK-ins, ghosts and a family of Ninja Turtles! (Halloween pics to come...cute ones, hopefully.)

Busted

My mom card should be revoked. If my one real job is to protect this little man of mine, yesterday I failed.

We headed to the park to play away the afternoon, and as I chased Stan about and encouraged Charlie to climb up to the slide, bam! Feet slipped right out from under him and face planted firmly into the playscape. Scooping him up I said a quick prayer for no blood, but I obviously didn't get it in in time. His cry raged and blood gushed. F. I called our regular doctor and they directed me to Dell Children's. Double f.

 

We arrived at Dell and were pulled through the waiting rooms pretty quickly. They assured us they'd stitch him up and get him home ASAP. With a derivative of PCP pumping through his veins, the doctors put four stitches in his tiny lip, and we stood at the end of his bed helpless. Five hours later - wading through dinnertime and bedtime in a hospital bed...no bueno - we were homebound.

All night and all day today, I've replayed the moment. Replayed the series of events that led to us ending up at the playground that afternoon. Why was I in such a rush to get to there? Why did I encourage him to climb the stairs again? If he'd only drank a little more water, chased Stan, decided to swing, etc. etc. etc. Mom fail in a big way.

We learned a lot yesterday - Chuck's wildly tough, John and I fall into interesting roles in stressful situations, and friendship is sandwiches waiting on your doorstep when you get home too late from the hospital and popsicles, flowers, balloons, and Chuck's best girlfriend waiting to play when he got up from his nap. Lots of love surrounding this busted lip. Lots of love. Lots of regret. Today was a better day. Hoping tomorrow is too.

 

You and Me

Four years ago we made this thing official. And while I spent most of the morning like this...

worried about it raining and moving the ceremony indoors.

John spent his morning like this...

going for a run with friends and relaxing.

This picture of John may be my very favorite. I pictured John so nervous on our big day, but what a total cucumber. The contrast of the two pics pins us exactly. Just when I get too lost in everything I can't control, John pulls me back to reality - it's just us, and we're always going to be okay. It's not always easy. It's certainly not always pretty, but it's always worth it. Happy anniversary, boss man.

"Come into the world, Alone. And you go out of the world, Alone. But in between, It's you and me."

Trampled By Turtles

 

Photo Credit - Gary Donihoo (F8 Studios)

All Things (Wo)Manly

John's been out and about this last week learning the ropes of his new job and partying with his mom, so Charlie and I have been enjoying lots of time together. And he's been an angel. No joke. We've had loads of fun, but the manliness of our days has been in serious short supply. An Easter bunny heart necklace? Absolutely. (He blushed like a school girl when complimented on it at the park and lost his mind when I took it off for nap.) Mini-Barbie van and heart-shaped logo cup at the park? Like a magnet.

The polka-dotted pram at Pottery Barn Kids, why not? Baby doll? Naturally. 

I think John had visions of football-filled weekends and mornings fighting their way through the rugged trails. Maybe. But for now it's sugar and spice and everything nice.